‘Heirs of the treasure of the Gospel of Jesus Christ’ – the theme of the Anglican Centre in Rome’s 60th anniversary course from 5-8 October – was drawn from the Common Declaration made by Pope Francis and Archbishop Justin Welby in 2016.

In four teaching sessions, the Revd Canon Jamie Hawkey traced the history of Anglican-Catholic relations, from the time of the English Reformation until the first Common Declaration in 1966, and then explored each of the three phases of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission:

· ARCIC I – ‘getting together’ from 1971 to 1981

· ARCIC II – ‘growing together’ from 1983 to 2005

· ARCIC III – ‘walking together’ from 2011 onwards

The work of the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM) has developed through its pairs of bishops – currently from 27 different countries – since its establishment in 2000.

During the course, participants visited the basilicas of San Paolo fuori le Mura (St Paul’s Outside the Walls) and San Bartolomeo all’Isola Tiberina, and the monastery of San Gregorio al Celio – all of which have a special significance for the beginnings and outworkings of the Anglican-Catholic journey.

The course concluded with a public seminar on ‘God wills fellowship. Is ecumenism part of the problem?’ on Thursday evening (8 October) led by Canon Hawkey with a response by Professor Teresa Francesca Rossi, from Centro Pro Unione.

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